The Aeneid By Vergil

Alexandra Hobrecht
Jason McKnight
Advanced Latin Poetry
3 June 2015
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A lengthy epic poem, the Aeneid by Vergil follows the journey of the Trojans on their quest to found Rome. Led by their leader Aeneas, they face a series of trials and quests as they travel to Italy. They have many encounters with gods and other beings of divine will. In the first six books, the Trojans stop at countless locations, including the city of Carthage where Queen Dido is told all of their journey by Aeneas. He talks of the burning of Troy and their endless sailing throughout Books II and III, filling the audience in on what has happened to the Trojans and then bringing them back into the present. In Book IV, the Trojans leave Carthage, causing heart-broken
Dido to kill herself. They host games in Book V and Aeneas travels to the Underworld in Book VI to visit his father, Anchises. If it were not for the work of the gods, the Trojans may never have been able to complete all of these tasks and fulfill their destiny. Vergil uses the gods to give Aeneas insight to his future and bring the Trojans to Rome.
In the second book of the Aeneid, the goddess Venus speaks to her son Aeneas during the fall of Troy. Aeneas has just witnessed the brutal death of his beloved King Priam, and is filled with a burning anger when she calms him: “My son, what bitterness has kindled this fanatic anger?... Should you not first seek out your father, worn with years, Anchises, where you left him; see if your own wife, Creüsa, and the boy Ascanius are still alive?” (II. 802-803, 805-808). She reminds him who is important and what he still has the power to save. Had she not said these things, he may have done something drastic or unwise in the fury of his anger. Because the Greeks killed so many Trojans and burned their home, this was understandably a horrific event to live through. Watching his comrades and friends fall caused Aeneas indescribable pain. He needed Venus to comfort him in order to remain sane. Without her help and support, Aeneas and his family may not have survived the fall of Troy.
While she does not specifically mention the prophecy of the Trojans, she tells him the gods are to blame for this: “And those to blame are not the hated face of the Laconian woman, the daughter of Tyndareos, or Paris: it is the gods’ relentlessness, the gods’, that overturns these riches, tumbles Troy from its high pinnacle,” (II. 812-817). This gives Aeneas insight to things he would not have necessarily already known and reminds him once again to not fall into the trap of his anger. It allows him to rescue his father, wife and son from burning Troy, though his wife does end up passing away. This is monumental because without Venus, Aeneas may not have been in his right mind to help the other Trojans, thus concluding that she will look out for her son, and help him on the journey as much as possible. It shows how the gods often took sides and supported their chosen mortals. Book II ends with Aeneas ending their story of the fall of Troy, but he continues through all of Book III to relate to Dido of their trials, leading the audience to Book IV where the present takes place once again.
Had Jupiter not sent Mercury to speak to Aeneas, the Trojans may have ended their journey in Carthage as Juno wished. However, Jupiter intervenes, telling Mercury to speak to Aeneas and remind him why the Trojans cannot stay in Carthage. Mercury obeys his father’s orders and visits Aeneas while he is building new houses when he says: “‘Are you now laying the foundation of high Carthage, as servant to a woman, building her a splendid city here? Are you forgetful of what is your own kingdom, your own fate?... For if the brightness of such deeds is not enough to kindle you-- if you cannot attempt the task for your own fame-- remember the hopes you hold for Ascanius growing up, the hopes you hold for Iülus, you own heir, to whom are owed the realm of Italy and land of Rome,’” (IV. 353-357, 364-369). Mercury reminds Aeneas of his prophecy. Even though Aeneas loves Dido, he must leave her behind so that the Trojans can continue on to found Rome. If Jupiter had not sent Mercury, the Trojans could have remained in Carthage until they became settled and did not want to leave again whatever their destiny may be. This shows Jupiter knows the Trojans will fulfill their fate and is not worried about Juno’s plotting, but sends help to aid them as Venus wishes. He knows the Trojans will eventually reach Rome and that it will take a while, just as he knows Juno will not have her way. While this example does not tell Aeneas new information, it furthers the storyline and lets him move on, though he will of course see Dido again in the Underworld.
Book VI, focused around Aeneas’ journey through the Underworld, holds one of the most important prophecies in the book: Father Anchises speaking to Aeneas.
Anchises travels with the Trojans from the burning of Troy to the end of Book III, when Aeneas explains his death to Queen Dido. In Book VI, Aeneas goes to visit him in the Underworld, being one of the few mortals to make it there and back alive. He is accompanied by the Sibyl, who helps guide him until they reach his father, who thus begins a speech about the future. The importance of this speech is shown as Anchises explains the Trojan’s fate and the future of Rome: “And when father Anchises has shown his son each scene and fired his soul with love of coming glory, then he tells Aeneas of the wars he must still wage, of the Laurentians, of Latinus’ city, and how he is to flee or face each trial,”(1185-1190). Anchises goes on to explain all of the events that will take place because of the Trojan’s trials. He first explains the different parts of the Underworld and what the souls have done in order to be where they are. The souls waiting to cross the River Styx, for example, are trapped on the opposite side of the bank until their above-ground bodies are buried. Then, Anchises proceeds to start the prophecy by telling Aeneas he will marry Lavinia and have a son named Silvius. He will go on to become king and rule Alba Longa, cities will be built and Romulus will lead Rome. Anchises also mentions many important figures such as Caesar, who will renew the golden age in Latium. This speech shows how Anchises is able to help, care and look out for his son even though he is in the Underworld. He accompanied Aeneas through as much of the journey as he could in person, but is now still able to guide him, as he has in the past, from the Underworld. The prophecy he gives Aeneas is arguably one of the most important prophecies in the Aeneid. Because of its’ dense content, Aeneas returns to his comrades with a new
hopefulness and sense of direction. He now knows all of the Trojan’s trials have happened with a purpose.
This epic poem raises the question of whether or not Aeneas and the Trojans would have been able to fulfill their destiny without the insight they received from the gods. While Juno placed many obstacles in their way, other gods, such as Venus and Jupiter, helped the Trojans by speaking to them and/or sending someone to speak to them, as when Jupiter sent Mercury to remind Aeneas of his destiny in Carthage. A symbol of Roman culture and history, Vergil uses all of the characters to capture the audience and put Rome in the best light possible. He gives Aeneas prophecies and notions of the future to help the Trojans find their way to Rome.